Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe session – Strasbourg, 4-6 June 2002

Lydie Polfer pays tribute to the Congress’s decisive role for Europe’s citizens

Strasbourg, 05.06.2002 - Lydie Polfer, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers, today saluted the role local authorities and the Congress play in the field. ''The activities of the Congress are, and to my mind will remain, crucial when it comes to alleviating the public’s misgivings about a Europe that is increasingly complex in institutional and decision-making terms'', she said.

Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister praised the work done by the Congress at the local level in monitoring the honouring by member states of their commitments and observing local and regional elections.

Ms Polfer added that the problems facing our societies ''cannot be tackled by a single state, and must be addressed at local and regional level, as well as through global approaches. The local and regional approach provides the necessary flexibility and should be part of our shared range of rapid responses to unexpected challenges''.